Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 31st, 2023. In today’s article, we first take a look at the surprisingly large number of new releases that hit the eShop today. The list doubled up from when I went to sleep last night, so that’s always fun. After that, we’ve got the usual lists of new and expiring sales to look at. You know, in case you still have any money left to burn after this wild week of eShop closures and all. Let’s get busy!
New Releases
Xiaomei and the Flame Dragon’s Fist ($14.99)
This reminds me a lot of those single-plane brawlers that were all the rage before Renegade shook up the genre. You know, like Kung-Fu Master, Vigilante, Splatterhouse, and so on. Use your kung fu skills to save your sister from the Dark Dragon’s wicked influence, mostly by beating the crap out of everyone you see. You don’t often see games like this anymore, and it seems to have hit its mark with its homage.
Formula Retro Racing: World Tour ($19.99)
I know the original game had its fans, and I really thought I would have been one of them but I wasn’t. This follow-up adds new cars and tracks, and the four-player local multiplayer split-screen makes its return. There are four modes of play and this time the tracks are set in real places around the world, with more than double number of tracks seen in the original. I’m assuming if you liked the first game then you’ll have a great time here again. I’m just not sure if it changes anything for those of us who didn’t dig the previous one. I suppose we’ll see!
Bone’s Cafe ($14.99)
One of those cafe games where you need to set your menu, take orders, prepare food for the customers, and deliver it in a timely fashion. You can set up your cafe the way you like it, which is nice. The twist here is that your character is a necromancer so you can summon the undead to give you a little help in the kitchen, so to speak. Oh, and if you’re running short on ingredients, you can always kill some of your customers and chop them up. It sounds macabre but the cute style of the game somehow sells it. You can play this one with up to four players in local co-op, something that is usually pretty fun in a cooking game.
Infinite Guitars ($19.99)
This is apparently an RPG with rhythm-based combat. Humanity scarcely survived its first war with the mechs, and now they seem to be awakening again. Only you and your faithful electric guitar have a hope of saving the day. Yes, this one looks like a job for our pal Mikhail. I’m sure he’ll have a review for us soon enough to let us know all about the ins and outs of it.
Mayhem in Single Valley ($14.99)
An action-adventure game with its tongue planted so far into its cheek that it’s practically breaking through the other side of it. The distinctive art style is eye-catching, and if the reviews of the game on other platforms are anything to go by, the gameplay backs it up. Have some fun in the apocalypse you caused, and find all the funny ways to die. Think of it as an irreverent take on the classic Zelda-style formula, and you won’t be far from the reality.
Kingdom of Aurelia – Mystery of the Poisoned Dagger ($15.99)
Somewhere between a hidden object game and a standard point-and-click style adventure lies this game. The princess has been poisoned, and it’s up to you to figure out the why, the how, and most importantly the who. Meet the various denizens of Aurelia and visit more than fifty scenes in pursuit of the clues and items you’ll need to solve the puzzles that stand between you and the safety of the princess. It doesn’t really look up my alley, but it might be more your thing.
Billy 101 ($4.99)
A thirty-level puzzle platformer about a robot who wants to quit his job by taking out all of his co-workers and burning the place down around him. Well, okay. Billy can shoot and use his arm to solve puzzles, and that’s about the gist of it. Not great, but at least it’s cheap.
Arcane Vale ($7.99)
The very model of an “okay” action-adventure game. You have a big open world to explore, lots of quests to complete, and a fair variety of things you can do such as crafting, farming, and so on. It has its fair share of flaws, but it’s fine enough for the price it’s asking. If you really love going around bonking enemies with a sword, this offers that in a reasonably agreeable form.
That’s My Family: Family Fun Night ($24.99)
That’s not my family, but I’m happy they’re having a good time anyway. This is a game for up to four players via local multiplayer, and it sees you partaking of fourteen different games like Chess, Snakes & Ladders, and so on. They all have themes to help them from just being vanilla versions of each game, but at the end of the day these are just a handful of classic games you can play with your friends or family. I’d recommend Nintendo’s take on this idea over this one, but you can make your own choices in life.
Blade Assault ($17.99)
If you’re on the lookout for another decent but not spectacular roguelite action platformer, here you go. Join the resistance and fight against a corrupt military using your transformable weapons to lay waste to their forces. Meet NPCs, unlock new characters, perks, and upgrades, and choose your Cores and enhancements carefully to maximize your weapon’s devastating power. But don’t rest too easily, because the enemies can give as good as they get. It’s fine as these things go. Nothing amazing about it but it doesn’t mess anything serious up either.
Shukuchi Ninja ($4.99)
Fling your little ninja guy around more than seventy levels as obnoxious sound effects, voice samples, and visual flourishes fly like hot lead from a machine gun. It kind of reminds of that one game from the Rogue Ninja developer. Ninja Smasher or something. Maybe Ninja Striker? Anyway, it’s five bucks and if you can tolerate its unique style you might well get your money’s worth from it.
The Adventures of Poppe ($19.99)
This looks like a perfectly serviceable little 2D platformer. I like that you’re a little fellow traveling around in a big world, and it seems to function well enough. Yes, a fine little five-dollar Switch platformer. Wait, it’s how much? Oh, no. Just… just, no.
Fury Roads Survivor ($4.24)
An endless driving survival game where you need to hop in your post-apocalyptic vehicle (this game has never heard of Mad Max, what are you even talking about?) and try to stay alive as long as possible while marauding gangs try to take you out. There are more than sixty vehicles to use, lots of gear to unlock, and three different maps to play on. Pull in a friend for some local multiplayer if you want to spice things up. A very basic idea, but for under a fiver you get what you get.
Bubble Puzzler ($9.99)
This is just a rip-off of Puzzle Bobble, which is pretty audacious given that you can get some of the real Puzzle Bobble games via Arcade Archives for cheaper than this game is selling for. And that’s what you should do, rather than support someone stealing someone else’s idea without even adding a single new thing to it.
Madness Brutal Fighting – Mortal Fight Battle Attack Multiplayer ($4.99)
There are a lot of good one-on-one fighting games on the Switch, and you can even pick up some of Capcom’s great arcade classics via the Arcade Stadium series for four bucks each. Or you could spend five dollars on this absolute dog turd. Your call.
Ultimate 4×4 Offroad Parking Trucks :Car Driving Racing Simulator 2023 LITE Speed Games ($4.99)
Speaking of things that coil their way out of the metaphorical canine’s butt, here’s the latest from INSTAMARKETINGANDGAME. It looks almost identical to another release from a month or two back that was either from these guys or one of their other sock puppets, and it’s equally trashy. Oh, and touch controls only because the publisher can’t be bothered to add them to what is likely an Android template. Leave it in the bin where it belongs.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
I suppose the big deal today is the list of sales from Bethesda, with a new low price for Skyrim in case you don’t own it or its Anniversary Edition upgrade yet. You can also get a fine selection of DOOM games, again if you haven’t already picked them up in the past. The Punchuin is at a new low, and that’s a neat game a lot of people slept on. Not too much in the outbox beyond the end of yet another NIS America sale, but have a look and see if you want to fatten up your RPG backlog.
Select New Games on Sale
Beacon Pines ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/6)
Citizen Sleeper ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/6)
Paradise Killer ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/6)
FUR Squadron ($4.89 from $6.99 until 4/7)
Live Factory ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Mayhem Brawler ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Once Upon a Jester ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/10)
Project Warlock ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/10)
Nadir: Grimdark Deck Builder ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/10)
Winds of Change ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/10)
Danmaku Unlimited 3 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/13)
The Punchuin ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/14)
The Touryst ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/14)
Art of Balance ($6.29 from $8.99 until 4/14)
Tanky Tanks 2 ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/17)
Aery Calm Mind 3 ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/17)
TES V: Skyrim ($23.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
TES V: Skyrim Anniversary ($27.99 from $69.99 until 4/18)
DOOM 1993 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
DOOM II Classic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
DOOM 3 ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/18)
DOOM 64 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
QUAKE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/18)
DOOM 2016 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
DOOM Eternal ($13.19 from $39.99 until 4/18)
DOOM Eternal DE ($23.09 from $69.99 until 4/18)
DOOM Slayers Collection ($12.49 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus ($5.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Wolfenstein Youngblood ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Wolfenstein Youngblood DE ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Beholgar ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Unichrome: 1-Bit Unicorn Adv. ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/20)
The Amazing American Circus ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Castle on the Coast ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/20)
May’s Mysteries: TSoD ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/20)
Frogun ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/20)
Weedcraft Inc ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/20)
Little League Baseball 2022 ($14.99 from $49.99 until 4/20)
Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/20)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 ($14.99 from $49.99 until 4/20)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 TE ($17.99 from $59.99 until 4/20)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ($9.99 from $49.99 until 4/20)
Aircraft Carrier Survival ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Rise: Race The Future ($6.59 from $16.49 until 4/20)
Vengeful Heart ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Boomerang Fu ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/20)
Guardian of Lore ($2.09 from $13.99 until 4/20)
Kaiju Wars ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Big Dipper ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/20)
Into A Dream ($2.09 from $13.99 until 4/20)
Merrily Perilly ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/20)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Camped Out ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Disgaea 5 Complete ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Ender Lilies: QotK ($13.74 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Lapis x Labyrinth ($9.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Monark ($32.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
Poison Control ($4.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha ($17.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo ($17.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Puppy Cross ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
R-Type Final 2 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
R-Type Final 2 Stage Pass DLC ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Roller Drama ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/1)
RPG Time: TLoW ($15.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
The Caligula Effect 2 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
The Liar Princess & the Blind Prince ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
The Lost Child ($4.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
TLoH: Trails from Zero ($31.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
TLoH: Trails of Cold Steel 4 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
Void Terrarium ($9.99 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
The Oregon Trail ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/2)
That’s all for today, this week, and this month, friends. I love when I get to type that. We’ll be back next week with more reviews, more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some news too. I’m going to go sleep for two days now. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!